Diner/Gas Station from the Past…

In the old days, during my college years that is, State Road 52 was the main route between Indianapolis and Lafayette Indiana. I know I traveled it several times going back and forth to Purdue. Since gas mileage was so poor back then it had many gas stations and such along the route. I recently took a trip that included that section of highway and came across this past gas station/diner combination that has probably been abandoned for years now.

(click on any picture to see a larger slideshow)

I’m sure it was open during my college years but I don’t really particularly remember it. It looks like the diner survived until recently as the inside seems almost ready for the next meal. I have learned that if you are in a real search for America you must stay off the Interstate highways and travel via state roads. Too many people just treat their destinations as the overriding goal when they travel and forget, like life in general, that it should be more about the travel instead of just the destination.

In life the final destination for all of us is death so I can’t understand people racing through life to reach that destination. Stop and smell the roses, or at least get off the Interstates and enjoy our fabulous country…

A few years ago I was going to Merrillville to pick up a basset hound from a rescue service. Instead of taking the freeway all the way I decided to take US 231 to Lafayette and then I-65 the rest of the way. It was a beautiful drive and I followed US 231 all the way, going right through Purdue’s campus. I drive a lot of the back highways here in the mornings before the temps get too high … very enjoyable.

I live very close to 231 and travel it often when we go visit the in-laws in northern Wisconsin. How could anyone prefer the truck jammed I65 to that is beyond me? Give me the highways and bye-ways and leave the Interstates to the truckers. At least until most of it is moved to rail and the rest of them, and even myself are in self-driving vehicles.

I use Google maps on almost all my trips in my uRV. I found it has an option to skip the interstates. That works great for me to see some of the countryside I have not visited before in Indiana. My next uRV trip though is to the MIssissippi on the Illinois border. There are a lot of parks and history there to explore. Probably go highway 36 but really haven’t planned it out yet. I’ll see was Google suggests and go from there…..